The Proposal
by jteam6920
Summary: Shaw finds Root alive; she is unsure whether to be angry and punch her or to be happy and marry her. A spirit from the past will help her decide. Connected to my other fanfic "Everyone is alive and well".


Shaw had taken the dog for a walk and was now headed to her place. It was two days since the rival ASIs had been destroyed by the Ice-9 virus, and Samaritan was apparently not a threat anymore, but its operatives could still be a problem; many had been reassigned, many had quit, many were arrested on criminal charges, but some stray dogs might be still on the loose.

For that reason she wore a hoodie and sunglasses; she was about a hundred yards from her apartment, when she got a text, from an unknown number, with an address: "Safe house; no more danger; now"

Shaw was puzzled: the safe house had been exposed when Harold's cover had been blown … the same day Root died; was it safe now? This could only mean that Samaritan was definitely out of commission. But more importantly, who sent the message? Fusco? Someone from a new team the Machine had assembled, like those guys in Washington?

She reached the safe house half an hour later, after leaving Bear to Fusco; she was sulking: the memories that place evoked were something she tried to avoid. When Root had entwined their fingers together, Shaw had begun to realize how important the other woman was to her. Whatever, here she was.

She still had the key, so she could open the entrance door. And suddenly she heard the rhythmic sound of an electrocardiograph; someone was there? Wounded?

A curtain concealed a corner of the living-room, but it was possible to glimpse a bed with an unmoving person lying on it.

Shaw hurried there, and found an unconscious John Reese. "Holy crap, he is alive." Then she suddenly turned into doctor-mode and tried to assess the situation.

One wound at a shoulder, uninfected, professionally stitched; not worrying at all.

Another wound at the lower abdomen, uninfected, professionally stitched; probably had pierced his intestine, moderately worrying.

He was drip-fed with a solution of sedatives and antibiotics, as well as sugary water to replace the fluid loss.

Obviously he couldn't be the one who had texted her, then who?

Then she smelled a faint scent, and heard an even fainter sound, like someone breathing. But that scent … no, it wasn't possible!

She suddenly turned around, and was petrified: across the room she saw Root, alive.

"Hey, Sameen." Were her first words, in a shy voice; she seemed happy and scared at the same time, and her eyes were watery. Of course, a very furious Shaw thought , she is scared of me, she knows I don't like to be fooled. But all the anger she had inexplicably faded away, suddenly as it had come, and she was overwhelmed by a huge feeling of relief.

So, she smiled and approached the other woman, put her hands on her shoulders, and whispered: "God, it's really you!"

"Yes, Sameen."

"How?"

"Do you want me to elaborate? Let's say the Machine hired someone, sent him very private information about the personnel at the hospital so they could be blackmailed or bribed, then injected me with an unknown concoction of drugs, then replaced me with another body, this one really deceased of course … nothing special."

"Why did the Machine pulled this trick out?"

"To win the war; to convince Harold that drastic actions were needed, and that we couldn't make it alive with an AI spitting a number at a time against hundreds of operatives in God mode. And this way we were able to kill Samaritan, and I could save John."

"Yeah, I see. And you are right about Harold, he has been a little shit lately."

Root asked: "So, are you mad at me now?"

"I … I don't know; I should, probably, but I am also happy that you are alive. And I am a soldier, so I understand why you did it. But please, don't do this again."

"Are you saying that you care about me?" Root was cheerful and much more confident, now she had realized the shorter woman had no intention of punishing her.

"Please, I am a sociopath, I don't care about anyone. Only, I was not okay when I thought I had lost you … because, you know, having you around is fun."

"Fun? Just that?"

"Well, the sex is great too, of course … but feelings are not my thing, you know that."

"Listen, Sam, I am sorry I didn't warn you, the Machine explicitly forbade me to do that."

"Yeah, no need to apologize, I already told you. But I am still a bit angry, to be honest."

"You shouldn't; we are only … co-workers who occasionally fuck, aren't we?"

"Yes, that's exactly what we are." Shaw was talking with more caution now.

"So, since we aren't engaged, married, not even in love, why should I have warned you, and told you I was alive?"

Shaw sighed "Is this your way to propose, Root? Because I am not buying it. We are close friends, yes, but my lack of feelings is still there. And it is the reason why I cannot say 'I love you', and I cannot marry you."

"A shame, because I have a box in my pocket, with an engagement ring inside … and I know that you love me, only you are too uncomfortable to say it."

"Sorry, Root, I don't love you; I wish I could, really, but I can't."

"Oh, and what about the simulations? Killing yourself over and over to spare my life? What about the relief you obviously felt when you saw me, alive, only a few minutes ago?"

"Root, stop it! Now! We can stay friends, of course, and … sleep together, but that's all. And bring the ring back, it must be worth a lot of steaks and whiskey bottles."

"Oh, the ring could be useful anyway."

"What do you mean?"

"You'll see … now, after the bonding part failed miserably, let's get back to business: there is John to assist; I have hired a professional male nurse, but a doctor's services may be required."

"I checked him out before … your reappearance; he's doing well; I would keep him sedated another day, though."

"Okay, doc; now, you have to know that someone is going to pay us a visit in moments. Someone who went through an ordeal very similar to mine, two years ago."

"You mean, someone else who came back from Hell?"

"Maybe, in her case, more from Heaven … "

The doorbell rang, and Shaw went to open, baffled. Could it be … ? Nah, impossible! Yet, seconds later she was face to face opposite a very not-dead-at-all Jocelyn Carter "Hello, Shaw. Long time no see."

"Oh Lord, Joss, you are alive too!" Shaw was wondering who the next one coming back from the afterlife could be; maybe John Fitzgerald Kennedy, or maybe Adolf Hitler. But she was happy it was Joss, this time.

The two women shook hands, then Root approached them, Joss grinned and hugged the hacker warmly. Shaw was shocked: she didn't even know they knew each other, and now it was obvious they were friends.

Root told Joss: "Come, John is here." And she led her to Reese's bed. The black woman took a seat beside it, looking at the man with obvious sympathy, and Root joined Shaw again.

Shaw said: "I didn't know you two were friends."

"Well, we bonded when she was off the grid, and I was her only contact to the world."

"Orders of the Machine, huh?"

"Of course, Sameen. The Machine knew about the imminent arrival of Samaritan, and wanted Joss to be somewhere safe."

"She was a problem for Samaritan? How?"

"Samaritan would have linked her to the man in the suit, an agent of the Machine, and use her to lure him out."

"I understand. Yes, it makes sense. And the connection between them is plain: look how Joss is worried about John."

"Of course she is; they are friends."

"Mmh, I bet they are something more than just friends." Shaw said, smirking.

Root chuckled, and Shaw asked: "Did I say something funny?"

"My, Sameen; Joss cannot be in love with John."

"Why not?"

"Because she is in love with me."

"WHAT?!"

"Yes, I told you we bonded; we even had sex, once. She asked me to marry her; I politely declined, back then, because my love interest was another. But now, I guess, since you have made it clear you don't want to have a stable life with me, I guess I have to reconsider it."

"This is … bullshit!"

"Why? I don't want to be a spinster for the rest of my life."

"What … what will you do?" Shaw was almost breathless.

"Well, I had told you: this ring will be useful." Then she went to Joss.

Root touched the other woman on a shoulder "Joss, honey, there is something I have to tell you."

"Yes, Root?"

"Sameen is not interested, so … " And she kneeled down, pulling the little box out of her pocket "Jocelyn Carter, will you marry me?"

Shaw's head was spinning, and she had to watch in horror what was happening before her: Joss' bright smile, the passionate kiss between them, mouths open and probably tongues intertwined, then the heartfelt and touching reply of the black woman: "I love you, Samantha, of course I will marry you!"

"NOOOO!" Shaw yelled.

Root and Joss turned their heads towards her, confused. Root asked: "Are you alright, Sameen?"

"Root, you cannot marry her!"

"Why not?"

"Because … because you are mine!"

Joss huffed "Yours? You know, Shaw, slavery has been abolished in this nation."

"I mean, we are together … "

Root intervened: "Are we? What happened to the 'We can stay friends' part?"

"Besides," Joss cut in "I love her."

" I love her more!" Shaw screamed, and suddenly froze.

"What?" Root and Joss shouted in unison.

"I mean … oh God!"

Root came nearer, and put her hands on Shaw's shoulders. "Last chance, Sameen: do you love me?"

Shaw exhaled, then looked at the taller woman's eyes, and slowly nodded "Yes, Root, I love you. I am sure of that, since the day I came back and met you in that park. And when I thought you were dead … I felt a sadness I had never experienced in my life. I was lost, a wreck. And I want to be with you for the rest of my life; I cannot even conceive to live without you."

"Why didn't you say that before?"

"Maybe because I know I cannot give you what you deserve, what Joss can surely give you. Or maybe, simply because I am a little shit."

"And would you marry me now?"

"Kind of late for that, isn't it?"

And she glanced at Joss , who smirked and replied: "Good, it looks like our little act has worked."

Immediately, Shaw realized the meaning of those words "Damned, you have fooled me!"

"Yes, Shaw" Joss said "and believe me, you really deserved it."

Then Root caressed Shaw's cheek "Are you regretting the words you have just said? Taking them back?"

Shaw stilled for a moment, then said: "No. What I said is exactly what I feel."

"And aren't you mad at us for this trick?"

"No; as Joss said, it serves me right."

Smiling, Root kneeled down and asked: "Sameen Shaw, will you marry me?"

"I will."

Joss clapped her hands cheerfully "Well, this is settled then."

That night they left Joss to take care of John, and they went to the hotel room Root had booked the day before. Of course she was sure how things would have gone, Shaw thought.

So, they made love for the first time, and they both experienced a feeling of happiness they had never really felt other times; sexual release, yes; also a sense of closeness, of intimacy. But nothing like this.

They were lying sated, embracing each other. Shaw said: "You know, it was quite petty of me to think I could go on like that, staying with you for sex, company, and … those feelings I couldn't name, with no serious commitment. So unfair to you, I have to admit.

So, I feel like I have to thank you for that act; it cleared my mind, set my priorities straight."

"You should thank Joss too, then."

"I will; by the way, she is straight, isn't she?"

"Yes, she is in love with John."

"It must have been hard for her to be so convincing; she looked smitten, and that kiss you shared, damned!"

"We had our fair share of rehearsals; besides, she told me I am so beautiful that even a straight woman couldn't help but feel attracted to me."

"Really?"

"Ok, I have to agree with her on that. And you have to tell me about that time you had sex with her."

"I will, Sameen, but not now. This night is only ours. That story is for another day."


End file.
